


Mario & Luigi: The Great Koopa Rescue

by Usiosan



Category: Mario & Luigi RPG (Video Games), Super Mario Bros. (Video Games)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 21:29:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17875193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Usiosan/pseuds/Usiosan
Summary: 1,000 years ago, an ancient evil magic was sealed inside one of the first Koopa Kings. That dark magic was prophesied to skip a millennium of Koopa Kings and now lies dormant in Bowser's only son. When Fawful returns, he plans to kidnap Bowser Jr., unlock his powers, and unleash evil onto the world. Mario and co. must team up with Bowser to rescue Junior and stop Fawful's plan.





	1. Once Upon a Time

_Long ago, when the Koopa Clan was still young, the first Koopa King was crowned. He raised two twin sons with the hope that one of them would carry on his legacy. One son was brave, strong, and loyal. His father began training him to become the next Koopa King. The other son grew jealous and hateful of his brother, and in an effort to gain his father's favor, he learned and practiced dark magic._

_His remarkable talent granted him powers beyond what any of the Mushroom World had seen. His abilities were so strong that they existed beyond the boundaries of simple dark magic. The prince called this newfound dark power **Ebon**_ _**Magic** _ _. The Koopa King's magikoopa advisors saw the prince's talent as spectacular, but they also saw a darkness brewing within his soul that would never be quelled. Although his power was mighty, his hatred was stronger. It would consume him, the kingdom, and then the world. They advised the Koopa King to stop his son before he became too powerful._

_The Koopa King was enthralled with his son's ambition, however, and crowned him as king. In an angry storm of unbridled hatred and ugly jealousy, the newly crowned King slayed his father as punishment for initially choosing his brother as heir._

_The magikoopas knew the kingdom's only salvation was the other Koopa Prince. They devised a plan to neutralize the dark King and seal both his soul and the Ebon Magic within his brother – the only remaining heir to the throne. With magic and a little brute force, they successfully slayed the dark King and sealed the Ebon Magic within the prince, who was then crowned._

_All was quiet for a time. The King had children and the kingdom witnessed a prosperous decade. But the kingdom's greatest prophets all foretold an event most troubling: the evil soul sealed within with King would reemerge – not in him, but in another Koopa of royal blood._

_They prophesied that the seal keeping the evil king's soul and the Ebon Magic dormant would break in the next millennium. In 1,000 years, a royal Koopa harboring the resting soul of the evil king would be born. That Koopa would be capable of wielding the_ _Ebon Magic and dragging the kingdom and the entire world into black chaos…_

* * *

"Eeh hee hee! This Book of Ebon is exactly what I have been needing! I have chortles just thinking about it. All of it will be for Fawful!"

Fawful quickly closed the old and dusty book and fit it into his bag. With a small comment about how it was snug as a bug under a rug, he turned around and hopped joyfully over the twitching bodies of groaning Toads. Breaking into the Forbidden Book Shelter hidden under Toad Town had been easy, especially with Bordon along for the ride.

"BORDON! Come! We are leaving to plan for a date with Bowser Castle! But first we are needing to read more of my… new… and not so shiny… book!"


	2. Party Crashers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to mimic the dialogue in the Mario & Luigi RPG's. If it sounds simple and childish at certain points, it's intentional.

"I'm certain that ne'er-do-well is planning something today, Princess! The guards saw his troops transporting a rather large amount of firepower to his castle, and I can attest to that!"

Peach pursed her lips and placed her hands on her hips in a thoughtful stance. Her advisor and closest servant was rather riled up. He was always particularly annoyed and distraught whenever Bowser kidnapped the princess, so it was only natural he'd want to stop Bowser before he could even put his plan into action.

"Toadsworth, I've always trusted your judgement. But this time, I'm not so sure you're right. Bowser _did_ just lose to Mario the other day. I see no reason to worry. At least, not yet."

Toadsworth gave her a pleading look. They locked eyes with each other for a long moment before she sighed and daintily placed a hand to her head. "Oh, for goodness sake… I will ask Mario and Luigi to visit the castle and make sure he isn't planning anything. Do you feel better now?"

"Blesses, Princess! Your safety is of the utmost priority! I'll get on that right away!"

Peach reached out to him, but she gasped as he zipped off down the hall faster than she could track.

* * *

"SERGEANT GUY! Is the cake finished yet?!"

"Almost, your Burliness. It hasn't quite reached the peak level of spice. You _did_ ask for extra spicy… Kind of a weird cake, if you ask me…"

"Well keep it going! It needs to be perfect! CORPORAL PARAPLONK! Status on decorations?"

"Finished, sir! We await your next orders!"

"Find Kamek and make sure he's in place. I want Private Goomp and his guys ready to go with the fireworks."

"And where are you going, sir?" The Goomba asked.

"I'm doing the most difficult job of all… waking up my son."

Bowser huffed and stomped down the hall to his son's room. It was a chore in itself getting Junior to wake up. Bowser was really the only one who could do without causing Junior to throw a massive tantrum. Nearly all of the minions – especially Kamek – discovered that for themselves. Before he could open it, he heard the sound of high-pitched laughter coming from inside the room. Junior was wide awake and playing his video games again. What a relief. On any normal day, Bowser would have given him limits for how long he could play. That didn't matter today, though. Today, Junior was allowed to have anything he wanted – just as long as he saw the big surprise he'd been planning.

The Koopa King opened his son's door and walked in, all smiles. "Morning, Junior! You didn't forget what day it is, did you?"

"Morning, dad! And of _course_ not! It's my birthday, and I get to have anything I want today."

"That's right, kiddo! I've got something special planned for you, so c'mere!"

"But I want to stay and play my games!"

"C'mon, son! This'll be better than that!"

"You said I can have whatever I want, and this is what I want!"

"Junior, get your butt out of his room or I'll –"

Down the hall and just outside the castle doors, Bowser heard a strange and unexpected commotion. It sounded like his men were shocked about something and fighting back against whatever was trying to barge in on his son's birthday. Then there was the unmistakable rumbling of the castle doors being forced open.

"What the heck is going on over there?" He muttered as he swiftly stormed out of the room. Junior, intrigued by the sudden change in his father's attitude, paused his game and chased his dad down the hall. He bumped into Bowser's beefy leg and rubbed his nose in pain for a moment. His father had stopped at the entrance to the great hall and was seething in rage. Junior peeked around his father to see Mario and Luigi standing triumphantly at the front door, their eyes scanning the scene – one pair of eyes curious and the other nervous. Multiple minions were on the ground or crawling away in pain.

"What… What the _heck_ are _you_ two doing here?!" Bowser roared. "What are you doing to my minions?"

A familiar yellow, floating, and glowing ball flew in front of his face and started screaming at him in that high voice he knew and hated. It was that Star Sprite again. " _Us_? What were _you_ planning to do with all these minions and all that firepower?"

" _Throw a party for my kid, genius_!"

Starlow continued on, unfazed by his straight answer. "The bros. just beat you last week! Are you really going to try and kidnap… Wait. Did you say throw a party?"

"YES!"

Mario and Luigi exchanged glances. Starlow blinked a few times, as if she was trying to decide if she should feel stupid or guilty.

"… Oh."

" _Oh_?" Bowser echoed incredulously. "That's all you have to say after barging into my castle and knocking out my minions and RUINING MY KID'S PARTY?!"

"Well, uh, you see…"

"I don't think so!" Bowser howled in rage. "You came here looking for a fight, huh? Then you're getting a fight, and then I'm nabbing Peach just to rub it in!"

"But wait!" Starlow cried out frantically, hoping against hope she could coerce Bowser into settling down like she did so many times before. "It's your son's birthday! Do you really want to spend it kidnapping Peach again?"

"That was the _plan,_ before Mario and Green 'Stache had to get in the way," he grumbled behind clenched teeth. Then he felt a tug on one of his clawed hands and looked down to see Junior.

His eyes shone with aggression and excitement. "Yeah, dad! Let's take 'em on and grab Peach!"

The Koopa King smirked proudly at his son and then pointed at the Mario bros. Junior pulled his bandana over his face and took out his Magic Paintbrush, twirling it a few times just for show. "You heard my son!" Bowser roared. "Minions! CHARGE!"

And like any other day, a battle between the two bros. and the Koopa King's army ensued, but this time, things were very different. On the roof of the castle, a certain mad scientist and his oversized lackey were grinning in amusement as the scene below unfolded. The guards were too busy with the day's event that no one had noticed him sneak onto the castle grounds. He briefly wondered in the Mario bros. being there would hinder his plan, but figured the sudden fight might aid him even further. It meant even the Koopa King himself was more distracted than he had anticipated.

Everything was set in place. Now was the time to strike.

"I have action!" Fawful cried out in glee as he pressed a button on a comically large remote control. A trio of flying saucer-like crafts flew down towards Fawful. They circled him for a moment, and then he laughed as they swiftly descended down into the castle and through the open doors. They soared effortlessly over the battle, but no one seemed to notice them until it was too late.

Junior was skillfully twirling his magic paintbrush like a baton and splashing paint bullets at the bros., but he was interrupted when the Fawfulcopters flew down and began to circle him. In confusion, he started trying to shoot paint bullets at them too, but they miraculously dodged all of them with amazing speed. Junior lowered his bandana away from his face, his mouth agape in awe and disbelief. He'd never seen anything like them before, and those swirling eyes painted onto the metal looked a little creepy.

It was at this moment when Kamek spotted the strange aircrafts surrounding Junior and he immediately felt a sense of dread. He quickly swooped down on his broom and informed Bowser, who turned around to find his son. His eyes widened in recognition when he saw the swirling glasses and large white teeth painted onto the aircrafts.

"What the – Junior!"

Junior turned towards his father's voice. "Dad?"

The Fawfulcopters all stopped in midair around Junior. They were now surrounding him in the shape of a triangle. Bowser's heart dropped into his stomach when the Fawfulcopters flashed once and then released a powerful electrical shock with Junior caught in the middle. The little Koopa's sharp cry pierced the air and Bowser stood frozen at the spot. Even the Mario bros. and the minions stopped fighting at the sound of genuine distress. "Young Master!" Kamek gasped as he took quick action and tried to break the Fawfulcopters with his magic. His efforts were in vain, though.

"Wait a minute," Starlow said in shock. "Those things! Aren't those Fawful's?!"

"JUNIOR!" Bowser roared, his mouth alight with flames as if it were a furnace. With his claws gleaming and ready to destroy, he began to run across the room to reach his son, who was still being shocked by the Fawfulcopters, but was stopped in his tracks when a large purple beast fell down from out of nowhere and blocked his path. He looked almost like Midbus, but was burlier and fuzzier.

"Who are you?! Get out of my way!" Bowser practically spat into the face of the creature standing between him and his son.

"I'll make you pay for what you did to my brother," the creature rumbled darkly.

"What? _Brother?!_ "

Behind the creature, the shocks finally halted and Junior fell to the floor on his stomach, his hand slightly twitching. He squeaked out a tiny "Papa…", and then he fell silent. The Fawfulcopters shot a beam of light onto the young Koopa. He disappeared for a moment, and then reemerged inside a thick glass casing attached to the top of the lead Fawfulcopter.

"They're getting away with my _son_!" Bowser yelled as he tried to push against the large beast in front of him, but the thing only shoved him back before smiling devilishly. As the Fawfulcopters took their leave with Junior in tow, one of them flew above the beast and hit him with a beam of light. He disappeared into the light and then the Fawfulcopter flew away, leaving the castle a silent mess.


	3. A Short History Lesson

Everyone was silent in the great hall of Bowser Castle. The Koopa King himself seemed to be frozen where he stood, his eyes locked dead ahead as he stared at nothing. The Mario bros. stood quietly too, except for Luigi. In a stroke of brilliant intuition, he was trying to make a quiet leave out of the castle to avoid Bowser's imminent wrath. Starlow noticed him trying to leave and turned to face him.

"Luigi, where are you going?"

Luigi gasped and jumped into the air in surprise and fear, but everyone's attention spun to Bowser when he finally spoke. His skin was red with anger and was billowing out of his mouth as he shook with rage.

"Those guys… they took my son… _my_ son… HOW DARE THEY?!"

Bowser spun around and pointed at Private Goomp, who jumped and gulped in fear. "YOU! Why didn't your men save him?!"

"S-s-sir! We tried, but there weren't enough of us! M-m-Mario got most of –"

Upon hearing his enemy's name, Bowser roared and breathed fire. It spewed out of his mouth and Starlow had to fly up to avoid getting burned. "Hey, watch it!" She cried out once she was safe, but Bowser ignored her.

"MARIO!" he bellowed as he turned to face the plumber. "This is your fault! If you and your stupid brother hadn't shown up, my men could have saved him! I could have saved my son! But now that crazy _weirdo's_ got him, and _it's your fault!_ Get over here so I can punch you into next week!"

Mario took up a fighting stance. He was more than revved up for a battle with the Koopa King (and not to mention a bit peeved that Bowser called his brother "stupid"), but a ball multicolored magic flew between them and forced them apart. Both Koopa and plumber were knocked back away from each other and they looked around to find the source of the disruption.

"That's enough," an elderly voice called out from across the room. It was Kamek, standing on his own two feet, his wand held high above his head. "Fighting won't do anything. We have to find out where Lord Junior was taken, and quickly!"

" _We?_ " Starlow interjected, the star above her head glowing brightly in irritation. "Bowser's kid is not our responsibility! Mario, Luigi, let's go. They won't be storming the castle anytime soon."

Mario felt bad that Bowser's kid was missing; he knew how close he was to his son. But he knew Starlow was right. They would only infuriate Bowser more if they tagged along. He called Luigi over and they headed for the door.

Kamek turned back around to continue speaking with Bowser, but a familiar cackle echoed across the sky and everyone stopped and looked up. Floating down on a saucer-like craft was a caped and hooded figure. Large, swirling glasses poked out from the hood. Starlow's jaw dropped and she watched in disbelief as the figure removed the hood and flourished his cape.

"Eeh hee hee!" Fawful laughed maniacally, his pearly white teeth gleaming brightly even in the dim hall. He did a little dance on his saucer and screeched out in a sing-song voice: " _King of Koopas is so mad! Mushroom Kingdom will be so sad! All the darkness will be mine! And… whatever… rhymes with… that._ "

"You!" Starlow gasped. "You're back! But… but you…"

" _Exploded?_ " Fawful finished for her with a gleeful smile. "Eeh hee hee! You bugs of stupid should know Fawful does not die! Fawful will always be returning for the revenge and the darkness!"

"What are you planning?" Starlow demanded, but Fawful only smiled at her with his enormous grin, like a child waiting for someone to walk into a prank he'd made just for them. It was clear he didn't intend to give them any real answers.

"Now the King of Koopas will be crying like the wet napkin he is!" He said as he faced Bowser, who was still seething and shaking in anger.

"Where's my son?!" Bowser barked. "Give him back!"

Fawful just snickered and placed a hand to his mouth, as if he was shushing himself from saying anything more. "Eeh hee hee! There is no fun if you are having the answers to my plans. I am saying farewell to you now, wet napkin!" Fawful flew around the group tauntingly as he laughed. Bowser drew back and punched him and the saucer flew off to the side and into a wall. The saucer nearly toppled over, but it managed to stay upright and Fawful didn't even seem to register what had happened. He only started laughing harder than before and then he flew through the castle doors and into the sky. He continued to cackle madly as he disappeared from sight.

"That guy! I'm gonna get him! … And I'm not a wet napkin," Bowser grumbled furiously.

"What in the world was he talking about?" Starlow asked out loud. If Fawful was back, it couldn't be a good thing. Still, she was hopeful he was just bluffing. "Was all that just to get revenge on Bowser for ruining his plans before?"

"It would be wonderful if it was as simple as that," Kamek replied in grave and tired tone. "But Fawful knows what he is doing. I was afraid this would happen. I should have seen it coming…"

"Seen _what_ coming?" Bowser said. "You knew my son was in danger and you never _told_ me?"

"I did tell you, My Lord. I suppose you weren't listening… as usual."

"Pffft, I would have noticed if you were talking about Junior."

"I wasn't talking about your son directly. It was more a history lesson."

"What does history have to do with my son being kidnapped?!"

Kamek sighed and motioned for the King to follow him. He looked at Mario and co. and hesitated for a moment, but asked them to follow him too. "This may concern the entire Mushroom Kingdom and possibly the world. It'd be best if you heroes listened to what I have to say."

Starlow turned to the bros. "Well guys? What do you think?" Mario and Luigi both nodded in agreement. Even if it was somehow a trap, they'd be able to stomp Bowser anyway.

Mario, Luigi, and Starlow followed Bowser and Kamek deeper into the castle.

* * *

"If you recall (you don't), I spoke to you about a terrible event that happened 1,000 years ago," Kamek said as he scanned the bookshelves of Bowser's immense library. Starlow had a hunch that Bowser hadn't read any of them. She didn't take him as the reading type. Kamek pulled out a rather large book and opened it to reveal a small hole in the pages. Inside was a key. He replaced the book and took the key over to another bookshelf. Again, he scanned the shelf, but it didn't seem like he was looking for a book.

"So what?" Bowser asked impatiently. "Why'd you have to bring us all the way to the library if you can just tell us the important stuff now?"

"Patience, My Lord. This book _is_ important. Ah, there it is."

Kamek stuck the key into a small slot on the side of the bookshelf. With a small flick of his wrist, the lock came undone and the bookshelf split in half to reveal another bookshelf hidden inside. On it was a single, rickety, and unedited book. The pages were practically falling out and Kamek had to lift it gently off of the shelf. He took it over to a table and placed it down so everyone could get a good look at it. The title was written in some unknown language no one could read.

"This book was written by the kingdom's top Magikoopas an entire century ago," Kamek said. "It holds all the answers."

"What language is it written in?" Starlow asked. As a Star Sprite, she was taught to read and speak all languages, but this one was foreign and unusual.

"A secret language created by us Magikoopas. Only we know it exists and only we know how to read it." Kamek opened the book and flipped to a page that depicted a rather nasty-looking Koopa. His eyes were darker than even Bowser's and Starlow shivered a little just looking at it. She could feel the fear coming from the book; the original writers were afraid of something when they first wrote it.

"This is the son of the first Koopa King," Kamek said. "He lived 1,000 years ago and he slayed his father when he was crowned using a dark magic he invented. It was so powerful that it got its own name: Ebon Magic."

Kamek explained the rest of the story to the group. Even Bowser listened intently as the elderly Magikoopa told of how much hatred the former King had in his soul.

"…and now that 1,000 years has passed, the seal has been broken. The Ebon Magic has a chance to reemerge, and it now lies dormant in the Young Master's soul. I'm afraid that Fawful has somehow managed to find the replica of this book in the underground tunnels of Toad Town. He knows what Lord Junior is capable of, and he intends to forcefully unlock his powers and use him to take over the Mushroom Kingdom."

"My son is an all-powerful sorcerer?" Bowser said gleefully. "Bwahaha! That's great news!"

"No, it isn't!" Starlow cried. "Your kingdom, the Mushroom Kingdom, and even the world are at stake! If Fawful succeeds, we're all doomed!"

"Bah, no need to get your star in a twist, _Chippy._ Junior's a trouble-maker, but he's not evil or hateful. Fawful won't get anything out of him."

Mario tapped Starlow and she turned to look at him. "What's up? You have something to say?"

The plumber nodded and spoke to her in Italian. Starlow's heart sank when she realized that he was right. "Mario has a point," she said when he had finished. "He says Bowser's kid doesn't need to be evil or hateful for his powers to be unlocked. Remember when Fawful kidnapped Princess Peach to unlock the Dark Star? She never unlocked it for him willingly. He just hooked her up to a machine and sucked it out of her."

Bowser's eyes widened. Now that she mentioned it, he _did_ recall something like that.

"Also, something just occurred to me," Starlow said, and she turned to face Kamek again. "You said there was an identical book under Toad Town. If that's the case, how did Fawful understand what it was saying if it was written in… uh, Magikoopa?"

"So you _are_ listening. Good. Well, the dark King's brother, upon being crowned, knew of the Ebon Magic's reemergence. If the Koopa Clan was no longer mighty when a century had passed, the world would have no way to understand that dark magic, and no one would be able to stop it. In an effort to give the world a fighting chance, he ordered the Magikoopas to create a second book that would be written in an understandable language. Somewhere down the line, the Toads got ahold of it and stored it away underground."

"Oh. Hm. I guess that backfired, huh?"

"It would appear so."

"Right. Well, I think our top priority right now is figuring out where Fawful took Bowser's kid," Starlow said. "If only we'd seen him leave… then at least we'd know what direction he was headed toward."

Luigi raised his hand excitedly and jumped up and down. It seemed he had an idea. He discussed it with his brother and Mario grew just as excited. Starlow listened for a moment and then grinned in delight.

"Of course!" Starlow said, her star shining brightly in relief. " _He_ would know where to look! I'm sure of it! Great thinking, Luigi!"

Bowser might have caught on to who Starlow was talking about – if he was more invested in the conversation. By now, he had stopped listening to them entirely. He didn't like the idea of Fawful forcing his son to be dark and hateful. A different and much more troubling thought had stolen his attention: if Fawful succeeded, what would become of Junior?


	4. Trip to Toad Town

The long trek to Toad Town was accompanied by Starlow constantly translating for Mario and Luigi, Bowser boasting how they'd get immediate access to Peach's Castle without having to stop at the gates because the "big scary monster" was with them, and Kamek tsking at Bowser like a strict and overbearing parent.

"What about the gates to Toad Town?" Starlow asked challengingly. "You might not even get to Peach's Castle. Did you ever think of _that?_ "

"It's a free kingdom! Just because I try to kidnap its monarch every other week doesn't mean I can't go where I please!"

The others tried to find some kind of objection to his argument, but even they had to admit that the Koopa King had a valid point. When they finally reached Dimble Woods, they were stopped by the Wriggler family, who had high control over the area and were very careful of who they let in. The largest of the Wrigglers looked the Mario brothers up and down for a moment before nodding approvingly and moving its long, segmented body out of the way. His many feet pitter-pattered on the grassy dirt as it moved, and a smaller Wriggler crawled out of a nearby crag in the rock wall.

"Ah, yes. We remember you two. We were very pleased with your promise to not be reckless in our forests. We hope you continue to treat it with kindness and respect." Then it turned to Bowser. "Oh, and there's _you._ I suppose you _did_ take responsibility and eat that entire Giga Carrot… But if you so much as spit even a teensy flame, we'll personally force you out of Dimble Wood!" And before Bowser could stomp on it, it burrowed into the ground and wriggled away.

Bowser grew red with fury at the insinuation that a mere worm could kick him out of the forest and get away with it, but Kamek reminded him that they had to get to Toad Town and going through Dimble Wood was the fastest way. So Bowser forced himself to keep the flames down as the group made their way through the forest.

When they finally found a warp tunnel that led straight in front of Toad Town, the whole group heaved a sigh of relief. After wading through crowds of terrified Toads screaming that Bowser was back, they finally reached Dr. Toadley's clinic. They knew from experience that he was capable of finding lost things and foretelling the future using his crystal ball. Even Starlow, who was a Star Sprite, had to admit his powers were remarkable. To keep things simple, Starlow requested that Bowser and Kamek waited outside while she, Mario, and Luigi, talked with the doctor. Bowser didn't exactly make a good impression the last time he was there.

When the three heroes entered the clinic, Dr. Toadley's intern was the only personnel available.

"Oh, hello Starlow! Mario! Luigi! It's been a while! I'm happy to see you both look healthy."

"Hi," Starlow said cheerfully. "Not to be rude, but we're kind of in a hurry. Can we talk to Dr. Toadley? We need his help. It's urgent."

"Oh, I'm sorry, but Dr. Toadley isn't in the clinic today. He's in a meeting with Princess Peach right now. If you want to see him, you'll have to go to the castle. I'm sure you three will have no trouble!"

"Oh. Right. Well, thanks for the tip."

Although the news that Dr. Toadley was in Peach's Castle made things significantly harder, the group decided they might as well try to get in. It would be best if Bowser could come along, but if they absolutely refused to let him in, then Starlow figured Mario, Luigi, and herself would have to do. When they reached the gates of Peach's Castle, the Toads standing guard turned pale at the sight of Bowser and nearly ran off to alert the princess. Not even Mario's presence was enough to keep them posted at their positions. Starlow was prepared for this, though, and she flew in front of them before they could cry out in terror.

"Wait!" She yelled. The Toads visibly trembled as the odd group neared the gates. "Hi, I'm Starlow. I was here a while back. Y'know? The Blorb incident?"

The Toads exchanged apprehensive glances but they at least looked a little calmer and less flighty. Starlow sighed and got straight to the point. "Look, I don't want to waste time with the details, so you're just going to have to trust me on this. I need to get into Peach's Castle to see Dr. Toadley – and I need to bring these other guys."

"What?!" The Toads said in fright. "Even… Even Buh-Buh-Bowser?!"

"Even Bowser."

"…"

"It's very urgent. He has to come."

"…"

"I promise he won't do anything evil. And if he does, Mario and Luigi will stomp him. Right guys?" Mario and Luigi nodded encouragingly while Bowser sneered at their clear enthusiasm to once again pound him into the ground.

"… Well… Okay. But only because Mario and Luigi are with you. Open the gates!"

The gates opened and the group made their way into the castle. Upon entering the brightly-colored fortress, they made their way to the conference room and found Princess Peach and Dr. Toadley sitting at a table and drinking tea together. Peach's eyes glittered upon seeing Mario and Luigi, but she gasped and raised a gloved hand to her mouth when she recognized Bowser's hulking form.

"Mario! Luigi! Welcome back! And, er… hello Bowser."

Bowser grunted in response and lazily waved a sulky hand while Mario and his brother showed clear enthusiasm at seeing their princess again.

"Is this a pleasant surprise? It is. Am I confused as to why the monster is here? I am." Dr. Toadley's deep and somewhat arrogant voice echoed through the room as he spoke in his strange way.

"We were just discussing the vaccination plan for this year's onset of Toad Fever," Peach said in her light and airy voice. "Dr. Toadley has been very hard at work perfecting it. What brings you here, Mario? And why did you bring Bowser with you?"

Starlow popped out from behind Mario and flew closer to Peach. "It's a long story, but…" Starlow and Kamek told Peach and Dr. Toadley what had happened so far, and by the end, Peach and Dr. Toadley's high spirits had disappeared.

"Oh, dear. That _is_ troubling. We must do something!" She looked at Bowser and her eyes visibly saddened with sympathy for the Koopa King. "And Bowser… I'm so sorry to hear your son is gone. I would be happy to help you get him back and save the world!"

"I never _asked_ for anyone's help," Bowser said defiantly. He pointed his finger at Kamek, who frowned disapprovingly. "Kamek is the one who got all of you involved! I can take care of this myself!"

"This isn't _just_ about your kid!" Starlow reprimanded him. "The whole world is at stake!"

"Pffft, I know _that,_ genius! I'll get Junior back _and_ take over the world all in the same week! Just watch!"

"Take over the world?! We're supposed to be saving it!"

"I _am_ saving it by taking it over!"

The two continued to bicker, despite Peach's desperate attempts to calm them down. It wasn't until Kamek stepped in that Bowser finally took his furious glare off of Starlow.

"Lord Bowser, you must stop this. There are more important matters than picking fights with Star Sprites!"

"Shut up, Kamek! I know what I'm doing!"

"No, my Lord, I don't think you do. With all due respect, you need to be silent and _think._ "

"Are you telling me I'm _dumb_?! Watch your mouth!"

"Think not of a _plan,_ Lord Bowser."

"Then what –"

"Think of Lord Junior."

Bowser opened his mouth to speak, but Kamek's words caught him in a state of silence. Think… of his son? He always thought of his son. He wanted him to grow up strong, like him. He gave him the best of everything he could just to keep him happy. He protected him from danger… or at least, he was supposed to. But he failed. And now Junior was all alone someplace without him, with Fawful, who might be doing something awful to him. The very idea of his son with a maniac like Fawful left him with an uneasy feeling. It was a feeling he wasn't used to.

"There may be a greater problem at hand, but Lord Junior needs you," Kamek continued sternly, but there was a hint of softness in his voice. "But he doesn't need a cynical, stubborn, and prideful Koopa King right now. He needs his father."

Bowser knew Kamek was right, as much as he hated to admit it. But he didn't want the Mario brothers and Starlow to see him weak. He realized with shock and dread why he was so stubborn to let Mario and co. help him. Bowser, for the first time in a long time, was afraid. He was scared he'd never seen Junior again, and that if he did, Junior would be someone entirely different from the little Koopa he loved. He was scared he wouldn't be strong enough to save his son, and that prideful part of him was afraid the Mario brothers and Starlow would see him being weak.

"Do I have something to offer in this trying time?" Dr. Toadley interrupted. "I do. It is this…" And he pulled out his magic crystal ball and place it onto the table in front of him. Peach gasped in awe as it sparkled. The doctor placed his hands above the ball and moved them around, as if reading the ball with his mind.

"SILENCE!" Dr. Toadley yelled. Everyone exchanged glances with each other, as no one had been talking. Then the doctor hummed a few times to test out his voice, and the ball began to glow. Then he said in a clear and strong voice, "Will Bowser finish his quest alone? He most certainly will not. Will Mario and Luigi be vital to this quest? They most certainly will be."

And with that, he placed his hands back on the table and sat back in his chair. Bowser was unamused. "That's it?" He asked with a scoff. "Just a weird guy saying some weird things and suddenly I'm supposed to work with these happy-go-lucky idiots?"

"Bowser!" Peach reprimanded in a sharp tone. Bowser only sneered at her.

Kamek knew Bowser wasn't going to listen to reason… So he had to resort to something else entirely. "Excuse me, doctor. Could you tell us where Lord Junior is?" Bowser perked up at the question and seemed to be genuinely interested in what the doctor had to say. The doctor eyed Kamek for a moment but understood that it needed to be done. So he huffed and worked his magic again. This time, however, it took longer for him to speak. It appeared he was struggling, with his eyes clenched shut in concentration. Eventually, though, he opened his eyes again and looked into the ball as if he were studying it. His words came out choppy, as if he had sacrificed his speaking ability in exchange for a deeper connection to his vision. Even his strange way of speaking had been compromised.

"It is hard to tell… It is faint… But… I see someplace beyond the borders of this kingdom… It is dark, with machines and metal… Clicks and beeps… Something dangerous lurks inside its walls, but they need help, too… And… Ah, the child… I feel his presence… He sleeps, but he is afraid…"

"What?! Is he okay?! What is Fawful doing to him?!"

"SILENCE!... Hrm… There is… There is _darkness._ So much _darkness._ It's too much… he sleeps but there is fear and darkness…!" And Dr. Toadley placed his hands back onto the table and nearly fell over. Mario zipped over just in time to catch him and steady him on his chair again. He looked drained.

"Hah… hah… hoo… Ahem… Was that a particularly horrible experience? It was. Did I diagnose the child with his sickness? I did."

"Spit it out already!" Starlow demanded, more out of anxiety from having to wait so long for the answer than of being irritated with his strange way of speaking.

"SILENCE!... The answer you seek is nightmares. The child is suffering from nightmares. I'm prescribing a soothing bedtime story and a hug."

"… _Nightmares_?" Starlow questioned aloud. "That's… that's really all it is?"

"Perhaps he is merely asleep and Fawful hasn't done anything yet?" Kamek wondered.

"Well… I guess that's something we'll have to figure out. Right now, we've got a lead on where Fawful is keeping him!"

"Yes," Peach said with a finger to her chin. "Dr. Toadley said it was outside of the Mushroom Kingdom… A place of metal and machinery, with clicks and beeps."

"And someone who needs our help, even though they're dangerous?" Starlow added. Everyone took on a thoughtful stance as they tried to think of someplace that fit that description… everyone except for Luigi, who was busy poking at a strange bug on the ground. Starlow grew furious at Luigi's ignorance and flew into his face.

"Luigi! Stop goofing around and help us think! This isn't a laughing matter!"

At her own words, her eyes suddenly lit up and she realized with a start _exactly_ where they needed to be.


	5. Over the Edge

In a kingdom far from the Mushroom Kingdom, across the border and over fields of starry flowers, a large castle-like building stood eerily silent. The cheerful gardens surrounding its entrance were lined with bushes and trees shaped like smiles, wide with laughter and high spirits. On a normal day, the gardens and the building would be crowded with bustling university students, their minds curious and bustling with thoughts and questions. But today – and the days before – had not been normal.

Something had happened to the students within the university's walls. Every single one of them had sent letters to people across the BeanBean Kingdom, saying they were safe and okay and that they wanted to be left alone. Countless officials and family members had tried to get access into the building, but every attempt to talk to a professor or a student had been thwarted with the same monotone reply of wanting to be left alone to their studies.

But deep within the quiet and empty halls of WooHoo University, a distant, echoing laughter bounced off the metallic walls. Although all the machines had been unplugged or destroyed, there was still a small hum of machinery coming from someplace unknown and unseen.

Fawful stood proudly in front of the great piece of machinery in front of him. A large, glass bubble – tinted purple as if soaked in something sinister – sat still in front of him. It was attached to a large base, as if it were a massive, glorified snow globe. Inside, floating as if suspended in a gentle breeze, was Bowser Jr., fast asleep. But he wasn't happy; he frowned and creased his eyebrows, as if he were angry or afraid. A myriad of tubes stuck out of the back of the machine, which all led to a strange, large, box-like device that hummed with energy.

Although this room was the only one illuminated in the entire building, it might have been the darkest room in all the BeanBean Kingdom.

Fawful smiled widely as he stared at the dark energy coursing through the tubes and into the machine. Everything was coming into place.

"Eeh hee hee," he laughed o himself in quiet glee. "Soon I will be having the power of darkness – the power of Ebon Darkness! Eeh hee hee!" He flourished his cape and turned away from the machine as he walked out of the room. "And now I have leaving, for more darkness I will be needing."

* * *

Starlow tried to convince Peach she didn't have to come along for the journey, but the princess insisted that she must. Toadsworth tried in vain to remind her that she had a duty to the Mushroom Kingdom and its health for the upcoming vaccination season, but she politely and patiently explained her reasoning for her absence.

"I know you're worried, Toadsworth," she had said as the others were preparing to for the flight to the outskirts of the BeanBean Kingdom. They would be taking her personal airship for the majority of the flight there. "But the Mushroom Kingdom is in danger. As princess, it is my duty to go. I have to do my part to protect it."

"But princess, you already _have_ a duty here! We need you to help us prepare for Toad Fever!"

"I've already talked with Dr. Toadley and he knows he can take care of things while I'm gone. I need to go to protect my people… even the most unlikely of people." She cast her gaze over to the hulking Koopa King loading up cargo onto the ship.

Toadsworth wasn't completely satisfied with her decision, but he knew there was little he could except to advise her. So he sighed and hoped she was making the right choice – _and_ that Dr. Toadley would do his job well.

Once everything was loaded and Peach made it official that Dr. Toadley would oversee Toad Fever vaccination plans, Mario, Luigi, Starlow, Bowser, Kamek, and Princess Peach – one of the castle's larger airships to make the flight over the border that separated the two kingdoms. They weren't entirely sure Bowser Jr. was being kept there, but it matched their lead and it was all they had for the time being – and time was running out.

No one knew how long they had until Fawful enacted his plan, nor did they know if Bowser Jr. would be able to fight back in any way. They knew the little Koopa was tough, but this was _Fawful_ they were dealing with; even Bowser had trouble with him. Perhaps the most dangerous thing about him was his fearlessness to do insane things. He would plunge the world into darkness without a shred of hesitation if it meant he got what he wanted.

Mario and Luigi knew they were in for a battle and were ready to fight to protect their kingdom. Starlow and Peach were anxious, Bowser was worried about his son and just wanted him away from Fawful, and Kamek had been relatively silent, choosing to observe rather than readily engage with any of the others. The flight to the BeanBean Kingdom would be a long one, and once they reached the border, they would have to disembark and make their way on foot to the university.

It was a rather uneventful flight, except for when they received a message from Birdley. It seemed Dr. Toadley was a more than capable leader and he had been doing his part to help the group out. Birdley arrived with a note attached and Peach managed to coax him to pass the letter on and return to the Mushroom Kingdom. The letter had some intriguing and frightening news:

" _We've received news that WooHoo University has mysteriously shut down. No one has seen the students or staff for the past two days."_

"That's… odd." Starlow said upon hearing the news. "There's no reason for it? They just shut it down and haven't come out?"

"That's what it looks like, yes," Peach said. "Although I wonder if that could be good news for us."

"What are you talking about?" Bowser interrupted. "That means we can't get in."

"We can't get in in an orthodox way, yes," Peach said slowly. "But now we know something strange is happening at the university, which means we may have a real lead."

Bowser quirked an eyebrow and pondered it for a moment. He had to admit Peach had a point. Maybe this _was_ a good sign. Maybe it meant they were on the right track. The only downside was that now they'd have to figure out a good way to get into the university without being seen. If Fawful was really there, there's no way he'd let them in willingly.

By the time they landed on the outskirts of the kingdom, it was already getting dark. Peach and Starlow, who had apparently taken charge of the operation sometime during the flight (despite Bowser's grumbling), said they'd likely have to camp out for the night in some hidden place far from the university. Storming the university at night would be too risky.

So they left the ship, gathered their belongings, and started a trek out deep into the Stardust Fields, as close as they could to the BeanBean Kingdom. They found a well-hidden area in a small canyon and they prepared to rest fo the night. Kamek and Peach worked together to cast a spell to keep the group warm without using a fire. They didn't want to attract any attention to themselves just yet. Mario, Luigi, and Starlow were thankful for the warmth, but Bowser was less than pleased.

"I could have done it myself," he said with a huff, and then under his breath, "I can't wait to burn the little freak's smile off his green face."

"And you will get to," Kamek chided. "Soon. But with all due respect…"

At this, Bowser turned an eagle eye to him, as if daring him to continue that thought. Kamek couldn't help but gulp a little, but his nervousness turned to pale shock when Starlow butted in.

"Your way of getting things done is messy," she said matter-of-factly. "We need a quieter approach this time around. That's why Mario is here."

Bowser whipped his head around to glare at her. Steam poured out of his nostrils as he seethed in rage. "What did you say about my style, _pipsqueak_? Are you saying Mario is better than me?!"

"Oh, Starlow…" Peach said with a hand to her head in exasperation. She knew where this was going and it wasn't looking pretty.

" _Pipsqueak?!_ " Starlow cried. "I'll show you small! In case you've forgotten, I've been inside your head and _let me tell you_! Your lacking in brainpower!"

Peach made a face at Starlow's insult and knew it was time to intervene. She turned to face Starlow and smoothed out her dress before crossing her arms and glaring at the Star Sprite. "Starlow, what has gotten into you? There's no need for this!"

"I'm telling the truth," Starlow said defiantly. "And I _don't_ like Bowser's attitude. He's been angry, rude, and selfish this entire trip and I'm getting sick of it!"

"Join the club! I hate your face and your annoying voice!" Bowser shot right back.

"Now you know how _I_ feel!"

Mario tried to break them up to hopefully stop an oncoming fight, but Bowser whirled around, got right in his face, and stuck a massive clawed finger right into his chest. "And _you,_ " Bowser seethed in a menacing growl, but there was something different about his voice, like he was trying to stifle something. "Don't even get me started on _you._ I don't care about saving the world! We _aren't_ working together, and I'm _not_ trying to help you. The only reason I'm here is to get Junior back, and don't you _forget_ it."

He glared into Mario's eyes for a moment longer, and for a moment the group thought Bowser was going to actually attack him, but there was a deep rumbling above them and everyone cast their eyes up just in time to see a crack of purple lightning flash across the sky. A large _CRACK_ echoed through the valley and everyone froze. As quick as it had appeared, it vanished just as fast.

"… What was that?" Starlow asked aloud many moments after the lightning crack. No one had an answer.

Before long, everyone turned their attention back to Bowser and Mario. But the hostile fire between them had completely disappeared and Bowser had turned away, much to Mario's confusion. The group remained silent at Bowser's own uncharacteristic actions. Even Starlow sensed there was something different about him. No one spoke for a while in the thick tension that swallowed the air, until Peach stepped over to him gently, hesitantly.

"About earlier… you weren't just talking about how much you hate working with Mario, were you?" She asked him quietly. Bowser turned away from her, completely closed off.

"Just let him be for now," Starlow said, although she did sound a little sorry for how she was insulting him just a few minutes earlier. But Peach shook her head and reached out to place a dainty gloved hand on one of his back spikes. He didn't react to her touch.

"I don't think any of us could understand the kind of pain he's feeling," Peach said, her voice just above a whisper. "His son is missing, after all." She tried to coax Bowser into talking. If he didn't get his sleep or didn't cool off, then he'd be in no shape to save Junior tomorrow. "Please? Won't you talk to me, Bowser?"

"…"

"Your Highness," Kamek said worriedly.

"…"

Mario stayed decidedly silent and urged Luigi to do the same. Luigi didn't need to be told twice. Peach started to say something, but Bowser started speaking and she closed her mouth immediately.

"I just hope his nightmares aren't scaring him too much," Bowser rumbled. And Peach knew it was all she'd get out of him.

That small, worried sentence carried so much more than what he let on, though. Bowser missed his son. He was worried about him, and he was scared he wouldn't be able to save him. He was afraid Junior was suffering. Even though Bowser was evil, he had an incredibly large soft spot for his son, and Peach knew that he would never want any harm to come to his child. To not know if he was okay or not probably frightened him to pieces, and perhaps his increased temper was his way of stowing his fear and pretending like it didn't bother him.

Peach offered him a small smile. It didn't go unnoticed by the Koopa King, who had turned his head just slightly to glance at the princess. "Let's wish for him to have good dreams tonight, then. Shall we?" Her voice was sweet and gentle.

The others nodded, and she clasped her hands together and sent a silent wish up to the sky. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Mario swore he saw her hands glow. He remembered that Peach truly did have a certain power to her wishes, and maybe this was one of the moments where it would work.

She silently asked that Bowser Jr. not have nightmares tonight, whatever was causing them. The others also one by one looked up into the sky, in the general direction of the university, and sent their silent hopes and wishes to Bowser Jr., hoping that he was there to hear them, somehow.

Once Peach was finished, a ball of rose pink light floated in the space in front of her chest, and she looked at it fondly. Starlow used her Star Magic to push the ball of light higher into the air, where it continued to rise and shine with a brilliant light. Kamek captured it with his wand and shot it through the skies so that it exploded and showered like glitter.

Bowser watched on with solemn eyes as the sky above twinkled with starlight and the wishes of a kind princess.

* * *

In the depths of WooHoo University, suspended in the strange machine, Bowser Jr. continued to frown in his sleep. But then he let out a little sigh of content and stilled. A small and relaxed smile appeared on his face.


	6. Inside the University Walls

_In a fog of calm, endless white, a child’s distant humming drifted through the air. Bowser steadily walked through the mist, moving further into the unknown. He stopped and his eyes widened when he recognized it as the voice of his son. He continued stepping deeper into the fog, following the sound of the voice until…_

_He appeared in a room all too familiar to him. It was his son’s room. The deep purple carpets stood out against the gray stone of the castle walls. The curtains were parted and the windows were open, letting the fresh breeze from outside waft through. The curtains curled and melted with the wind’s gentle touch, and the room was bathed in soft morning light. Junior’s bed was still unmade, and some of his toys were strewn carelessly about the room. At the center of the room was an easel. The little Koopa was standing in front of it, his paintbrush moving as he painted vague images that resembled scribbles more than anything else. Junior’s humming grew louder as Bowser approached. He wanted to reach out to his son, to see his face and know that he was okay. But for some reason, the most he could do was stand behind him and watch him paint._

_His gaze shifted to the easel. The paintbrush moved up and down as Junior painted; his humming became distant and out of tune. On the canvas, something was coming into form. Bowser’s eyes slowly widened when she saw the menacing sketch of the evil Koopa King he’d seen in Kamek’s book. The beast’s eyes gouged into him like knives. Then there was a bright crack of energy that ripped through his being with a force he’d never known._

_. . ._

Bowser shuddered and awoke to Mario’s obnoxious Italian ramblings. Raising a clawed hand to his head, he bit back another shudder and stood to his feet. What was that dream about? It was just a dream, right? It didn’t _mean_ anything…

To put his mind elsewhere, he took a look at his surroundings. Mario and the princess were talking about something he probably wouldn’t care about while everyone else was packing up their sleeping arrangements and finding the best place to hide them until they could come back. Before long, Peach called a group meeting and they eventually situated themselves in a misshapen circle. “Good morning, everyone. Let’s get right into business, shall we? We need to find a way to get into WooHoo University. Does anyone have any ideas?”

“Easy,” Bowser said confidently, putting a fist to his palm. “That bird said there were only nerds in there, right? Let’s just stomp ‘em.”

“We _could_ do that,” Peach said. “But that would mean hurting them. Dr. Toadley said they needed our help. What if they are being forced to say those things?”

“See what I mean?” Starlow added as she turned to Bowser. “Your way of solving things is always punching and stomping. We need something quieter! If we’re seen and Fawful is in there, he might run off again!”

Bowser snarled at her, but that anger died down quickly when Kamek spoke up. “What we need the element of surprise. I say we use magic.”

“Are you able to do that, Kamek?” Peach asked.

“Yes… But I will need help.” And he turned to look at Bowser, who tensed up and grew red from either anger or embarrassment. Maybe both. No one could be sure.

“Kamek!” He said heatedly. “Shut up!”

Starlow quirked an eyebrow and slowly spun around Bowser, eyeing him. She couldn’t hold back a giggle and quickly flew back over to Mario before Bowser could angrily snatch her up in one of his massive hands.

“You? Do _magic_?” She laughed. “Very funny!”

“All royal Koopas have to practice magic!” Bowser shot back. “I just don’t like using it if I don’t have to. I’ve got my strength. Magic is for wusses.”

Kamek only shook his head disapprovingly at the rude statement. “Well, it doesn’t matter what you think about it. We’re going to need it if we’re getting into that university.”

“ _You’re_ a Magikoopa. Why can’t you do it?”

“I _can._ But there are many in our group and I don’t want to take any chances. The Young Master is in danger and time –”

“ _—is of the essence,_ I get it! Whatever! Fine! Let’s just do it and get it over with!" 

Kamek huffed and shook his head again while exchanging glances with Peach. She pursed her lips and shared a sympathetic glance with him.

“So, uh, what _is_ this plan that requires magic?” Starlow asked.

“We’re going to cast a temporary transparency spell that will hide us until we are well within the castle walls,” Kamek said. “You will be completely invisible and intangible. You will be able to walk through walls at will! But it is only temporary, so use its powers while you can.”

“Okay!” Peach said with a little clap of her gloved hands. “We’ll get into the university and figure out if Fawful is there, what he’s doing to the university students, and if he has Bowser’s –”

Just as she spoke, the sky was once again illuminated in a crack of purple lightning. The sound of electricity thundered through the sky and shook the earth, and Bowser’s jaw fell open at how that same flash had appeared in his dream. But this time, the energy lasted longer and dark, ominous clouds followed after it. The wind began picking up a little bit, too. The group looked around in bewildered astonishment as the world around them grew dark… but then the darkness dissipated as fast as it had come, the wind died down, and the sky was silent once again. 

“… That happened before too, didn’t it?” Starlow questioned aloud.

 “Yes…” Peach said. “I don’t understand what it means.”

“It means Fawful’s plan is working,” Kamek said eerily. He continued to stare up at the sky for a while longer before wringing his hands and gesturing for everyone to gather closer. “Quickly, quickly! We must conjure the spell now! Lord Bowser, help me.”

Bowser huffed and stepped over to one end of the group while Kamek took up the other end. If they did this correctly, they could catch everyone in the invisibility spell – even themselves. He looked at Kamek and they nodded in agreement before beginning their spells. Bowser raised his hands and rubbed his fingers together for a moment, his other hand cupped above them as if protecting a flame. A spark of red energy lit up in his hands for just a moment before he sucked in a breath and blew at his hands.

Mario, who had dealt with Bowser’s fire breath more times than he could count, shielded himself as best he could, but when nothing caught fire, he looked at himself in confusion. He couldn’t help but let out a cry of shock when he couldn’t see his arm. He couldn’t see any of himself! And where had Bowser gone? He jumped when he heard his brother next to him, but found that he couldn’t see him. He realized with a happy smile that the spell had worked and they were completely invisible now.

“The spell worked splendidly,” Kamek said from somewhere behind him. “Let’s head into the university. Enter anywhere you’d like. You’re intangible now, after all.”

“How long does this spell last?” Peach questioned.

“Not too long, so use your time wisely.”

Together, everyone quickly approached the university walls and slipped right through its walls. They were met with an unpleasant sight. Books and papers lay scattered all over the ground, covered in smudged and dirty footsteps. Whoever had been treading over them had done so very quickly, as if they had been running. Broken glass covered the lab tables, and some of those were strategically flipped over as well to act as barricades from something. Frantic claw marks that littered the walls and doors, which appeared to be locked from the outside. But what really sent shivers down everyone’s backs were the students. They were lying on the floor or behind the overturned tables, eyes hauntingly wide with fear. They trembled and shook as they stared at the door.

“What’s with them?” Bowser asked aloud, to which everyone in the room gasped and cried out in terror. The group remembered they were invisible and realized they couldn’t see them. They could only hear their disembodied voices. With whatever they’d been put through, hearing voices definitely wasn’t something they needed right now. 

“These poor people…” Peach said softly. There was a moment of silence before she let out a breath, seemingly strengthening her resolve. “We should keep moving. Who knows what we’ll find beyond here.”

“Princess, will we come back to help them?” Starlow asked, her voice painted with a seriousness she didn’t always show. “They look terrible…”

“Of course,” Peach said reassuringly.

The group left the room by walking right through the heavy locked doors. Once outside, they suddenly felt slightly heavier. Kamek warned them that the spell was beginning to wear off, so they needed to get as far as they could while they were still intangible. As they wandered further into the halls, Fawful cackled sinisterly from the shadows, his swirled glasses glinting in the darkness.

 

 


End file.
